The front u joints are squeaking on my 95 Grand Cherokee. Can't get them replaced until this weekend. Can I remove the driveshaft and drive it with just the rear? Also, instead of leaving the front spline in the front hanging out can i remove it without leaking the differential fluid? Can I seal it up with a cover and a lg hose clamp if it does leak and drive it for a week?
I assume it's the driveshaft joints, not the axle U-joints.
The front output shaft of the T-case is a fixed-yoke so you won't be leaving any splined shafts hanging out like you would the rear output. . You just need to unbolt the yoke straps on both ends of the driveshaft and remove the shaft.
Get new straps when you go to replace the shaft.
Rick, Removing the drive shaft will not prevent the front wheels and u-joints from turning. If the front drive shaft is the suspect with the bad u-joints then you can safely remove it from the vehicle and still get around. If you do remove it you should then take it directly to your basement and swap out the u-joints.
On my wife's 95 XJ (regular Cherokee) the front drive shaft is removed from the yokes and there is no exposed spline,,, I do not have any experience with the Grand Cherokee.
- but someone else here should know for sure
good luck paul
Hang on, hang on... Which transfer case do you have? If you have an NP249 (AWD) your Jeep might want to roll on it's own without the front shaft when the tranny is in park without the handbrake set. It pretty much behaves like it has a stiff centre diff so it might slowly roll awar all by itself. I've also read that driving an NP249 without the front shaft can/will damage the viscous coupler.
Of course, if you have an NP242, NP231, or a 2wd Jeep please ignore the above. ;)
Of course, if it were 2wd you wouldn't be asking about a front driveshaft...
*slapping forehead* This is why I shouldn't post messages right after waking up. lol
Your exactly right. Went to the post office and the thing rolled backward in park.Only gonna drive it a couple of days .On my front differential ther is a boot with a u joint in it and if i just take the driveshaft off at the spline connector then the spline hangs down.The reason I asked about removing the spline is when i did there was a small amount of oil inside and i didn't know if that came from the differential or if jeep put some kinda lube in the boot to keep the boot innards lubed. I drove it hard and parked it on a big hill but no oil seeped out of the differential.Can oil leak out? I don't want to tear up the front diif. by leaking out all the oil.And does anyone know for sure whether it will tear up my transfer case. I'd like to just leave it off as it seems to drive alot better w/ 2 wheel drive.(doesn't have that resistance when i turn under throttle)
Letting us know what kind of transfer case you have...how many positions and their names? Sounds like you may have one with full-time 4wd, which is a different animal than the part-time only.
Does your parking brake work? ;) Obviously you have an NP249 (or an NP242 and you left it in full time mode?) If your VC is already toast then leaving it as is for a while shouldn't hurt, as long as you use the handbrake religiously.
The driveshaft should unbolt from the diff just like it unbolted from the transfer case, leaving the flange behind. Don't seperate the driveshaft in the middle and leave half on the axle, as it is still being driven by the wheels and would flop around all over the place and poke somebody's eye out. The '95s had a typical U-joint on the diff end, not some fancy CV joint did they? Any chance you could take a pic of what you've got there?
The diff pinion is sealed, nothing should leak out.
You *might* damage the viscous coupler, it's debateable. Assuming an NP249, which seems likely at this point.
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